The present invention relates to a clothing wear monitoring device and, more particularly, to a device for monitoring the number of times a garment has been worn and for displaying the date on which the garment was last cleaned.
The garment wear monitor is located on or near the garment to be monitored. The monitor contains an easily readable display that indicates the number of times the garment has been worn. The monitor also comprises an advancing means for advancing the number displayed by one numeral each time the garment is worn. The monitor may also comprise a means for displaying the date, in particular, the month and year, in which the garment was last cleaned. By using the garment wear monitor in accordance with the present invention, the garment user is able to quickly and easily determine the total number of times the garment has been worn. Alternatively, the garment user can record the date on which the garment was last cleaned, and the number of times the garment has been worn since the last cleaning by resetting the numerical display to zero each time the garment is cleaned.
It is frequently a problem for persons to determine when a particular garment should be cleaned. Some garments are cleaned after each wearing, or a garment may obviously need cleaning due to a spot or stain. Frequently, however, garments are not cleaned until after they have been worn a number of times. As a result, by relying merely upon memory or visual inspection, it may be difficult for the wearer to determine whether a particular garment needs cleaning or not. Because of this, it is difficult to establish a regular cleaning schedule that is suitable for the individual's wearing habits, work environment and individual preference. Consequently, some garments may be overcleaned, or undercleaned, because the user does not recall how many times a garment has been worn between cleanings, or does not recall the last time the garment has been cleaned.
An additional problem addressed by the present invention is that of determining the number of times a garment has been worn for the purpose of more evenly distributing the wearing of various articles of clothing. While an individual may desire to wear, for example, a given number of suits an equal number of times, without realizing it, the user may wear some suits more frequently than others. As a result, those suits may wear out faster than the other suits. In addition, it is difficult for an individual to determine how many times an article of clothing has been worn before it wears out. This makes it difficult to evaluate the durability of a particular type or brand of garment.
It is therefore desirable to provide a garment wear monitoring device to record and display the number of times a garment is worn so that an individual can evaluate and compare the durability of various types of garments.
It is also desirable to provide a garment wear monitor which tracks the number of times a garment is worn so that the wearing of various garments can be evenly distributed among the garments to prevent one garment from becoming overused and wearing out before the others.
It is further desirable to provide a garment wear monitor which displays the number of times a garment is worn between cleanings so that the wearer can adhere to a cleaning schedule to avoid over or undercleaning the garment. It is still further desirable to provide a garment wear monitor which also records the date of the last cleaning of the garment so that the individual can have the garment cleaned at regular time intervals.